Wayne Sotile, Ph.D.

Wayne M. Sotile, Ph.D., is one of the most sought-after healthcare speakers today. He is the founder of the Sotile Center for Resilience and the Center for Physician Resilience in Davidson, North Carolina. As an international thought leader on physician behavior and resilience for high performers, he consults widely with medical group practices, healthcare systems and corporations interested in learning evidence-based strategies for deepening resilience, collaboration and collegiality and promoting team engagement while coping with change. He has authored or coauthored nine books, including the highly acclaimed Thriving in Healthcare (2019) and The Thriving Physician (2018). Wayne has published widely in the peer-reviewed medical literature, and his insights into sustaining resilience for busy healthcare professionals is featured frequently in the national print and television media, including appearances on “Good Morning America,” “Dateline,” and the “CBS Morning Show.”

Professional Experience

Prior to founding the Sotile Center for Resilience, Dr. Sotile served on the faculty of the Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and (for 30 years) was in clinical practice, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He and his team have counseled over 40,000 high-powered professionals, including more than 10,000 physicians and medical families and more than 20,000 healthcare leader professionals working in various disciplines. In addition to his speaking and consulting work, Dr. Sotile serves as a special consultant in physician leadership development for Atrium Health and as a clinical assistant professor at the Tulane University School of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics. Keynote addresses to regional hospital leadership forums for numerous health systems, including Florida, Louisiana, Colorado, Washington, Indiana, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Texas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Oregon, California, Virginia, Georgia and more.

Industry Speaking Engagements

• American Association of Neurological Surgeons
• American Society of Anesthesiologists
• American Orthopaedic Association
• American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons
• American Medical Association Alliance
• American College of Cardiology
• VA Chief Nurses Association
• American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
• Large Urology Group Practice Association
• The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
• American Urological Association
• Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgeons of North America
• American Academy of Pediatric Urologists
• American Medical Association Leadership Development Institute
• American College of Surgeons
• International Conference on Physician Resilience
• American Academy of Plastic Surgeons
• American Academy of Dermatology
• American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Education and Certifications

• Bachelor of Science, Louisiana State University
• Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, University of South Carolina
• Medical psychology internship, Duke University Medical Center
• Licensed practicing psychologist, N.C. #776
• Fellow, American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Professional Associations

• 2013-present: Founder, Center for Physician Resilience and Sotile Center for Resilience, Davidson, North Carolina
• 1978-present: Founder, Sotile Psychological Associates, PLL, and Real Talk Inc.
• 2004-present: Special consultant in behavioral health, Atrium Health, Charlotte, North Carolina
• 2003-present: Clinical assistant professor, Tulane University School of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
• 1979-2005: Director of psychological services, Wake Forest University Cardiac Rehabilitation Program and Healthy Exercise and Lifestyle Programs, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
• 1978-1979: Assistant professor, Department of Medical Social Sciences, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Publications/Speaking Engagements

• Simonds, G. and Sotile W. M. Thriving in Healthcare: A Positive Approach to Reclaim Balance and Avoid Burnout in Your Busy Life. Studer Group, 2019.
• Simonds, G. and Sotile W. M. The Thriving Physician: How to Avoid Burnout by Choosing Resilience Throughout Your Medical Career. Studer Group, 2018.
• Simonds, G. and Sotile W. M. Building Resilience in Neurosurgery Residents: A Primer. B. Wright Publishers, 2015.
• Sotile, W. M. and Sotile, M. O. Letting Go of What’s Holding You Back! Maximize Your Happiness in Work, Love, and Life. Stewart, Tabori, and Chang, 2007.
• Sotile W. M. (with R. Cantor-Cook). Thriving With Heart Disease. Revised Edition. The Free Press, 2004.
• Sotile, W. M. and Sotile, M. O. The Resilient Physician: Effective Emotional Management for Doctors and Medical Organizations. American Medical Association Press, 2002.
• Sotile, W. M. and Sotile, M. O. Supercouple Syndrome: How Overworked Couples Can Beat Stress Together. John Wiley & Sons, 1998. Released in paperback as Beat Stress Together: The BEST Way to a Passionate Marriage, A Healthy Family, and a Productive Life. John Wiley & Sons, 1999.
• Sotile, W. M. and Sears, S. F. You Can Make a Difference: Brief Psychosocial Interventions for ICD Patients and Their Families. Medtronic, 1999.
• Sotile, W. M. and Sotile, M. O. The Medical Marriage: Sustaining Positive Relationships for Physicians and Their Families. Revised Edition. American Medical Association Press, 2000.

Selected Journal Articles

• Sotile, W. M., Orlando, J. E., and Fallon, M. S. “Curbing Burnout Hysteria With Self-Compassion: A Key to Physician Resilience.” Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery. Accepted for publication July 2019.
• Sotile, W. M. “Response: Time to End the Conspiracy of Silence About Physician Suffering.” Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Volume 73, Issue 4, February 2019. DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2018.12.021
• Sotile, W. M., Fallon R. S., and Simonds, G. R. “Moving From Physician Burnout to Resilience.” Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology. Volume 62, Number 3, 480-490, 2019.
• Sotile, W. M. and Simonds, G. R. “The Resilient Neurosurgeon.” World Neurosurgery. 125: 532-533, May 2019.
• Dyrbye, L. N., Sotile, W., Boone, S., West, C. P., Tan. L., Satele, D., Sloan, J., Oreskovich, M., and Shanafelt, T. “A Survey of U.S. Physicians and Their Partners Regarding the Impact of Work-Home Conflict.” Journal of General Internal Medicine. September 17, 2013. [E-publication ahead of print.]
• Shanafelt, T. D., Boone, S. L., Dyrbye, L. N., Oreskovich, M. R., Tan, L., West, C. P., Satele, D. V., Sloan, J. A., and Sotile, W. M. “The Medical Marriage: A National Survey of the Spouses/Partners of US Physicians.” Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 88(3):216-25, March 2013. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2012.11.021. E-publication, February 27, 2013.
• Shanafelt, T., Boone, S., Tan, L., Dyrbe, L., Sotile, W., et al. “Burnout and Satisfaction With Work-Life Balance Among U.S. Physicians Relative to the General U.S. Population.” Archives of Internal Medicine. 172(18):1377-85, October 8, 2012.
• Sargent, M. C., Sotile, W., Sotile, M. O., Rubash, H., and Barrack, R. L. “Quality of Life During Orthopaedic Training and Academic Practice: Part 2: Spouses and Significant Others.” The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery American volume. 94(19):e145(1-6), October 3, 2012.
• Sargent, M. C., Sotile, W. M., Sotile, M. O., Rubash, H., Vezeridis, P. S., Harmon, L., and Barrack, R. L. “Managing Stress in the Orthopaedic Family: Avoiding Burnout, Achieving Resilience.” The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery American volume. 93-A, 93:40, April 20, 2011.
• Sargent, M. C., Sotile, W. M., Sotile, M. O., Rubash, H., and Barrack, R. L. “Stress and Coping Among Orthopaedic Surgery Residents and Faculty.” The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery American volume. 86-A(7):1579-1586, 2004.
• Sargent, M. C., Sotile, W. M., Sotile, M. O., Rubash, H., Barrack, R. L. “Quality of Life During Orthopaedic Training and Academic Practice: Part 1. Orthopaedic Surgery Residents and Faculty.” The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery American volume. 91:2395-405, 2009.
• Barrack, R. L., Miller, L. S., Sotile, W. M., Sotile, M. O., and Rubach, H. E. “Effect of Duty Hour Standards on Burnout Among Orthopaedic Surgery Residents.” Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research. 1-4, March 2006.
• Chopra, S. S., Sotile, W. M., and Sotile, M. O. “Physician Burnout.” The Journal of the American Medical Association. 291(5):633, 2004.
• Sotile W. M. and Sotile M. O. “Extraordinary Physicians: How They Talk With Their Patients.” Internal Medicine World Report. p. 45, February 2005.
• Sotile W. M. and Sotile, M. O. “Physicians’ Wives Evaluate Their Marriages, Their Husbands, and Life in Medicine: Results of the AMA-Alliance Medical Marriage Survey.” Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic. 68(1):31-51, 2004.
• Sotile, W. M. and Sotile, M. O. “Staying Resilient.” Resident & Staff Physician. 50(2):24-26, 2004.
• Sotile, W. M. and Sotile, M. O. “Beyond Physician Burnout: Keys to Effective Emotional Management.” The Journal of Medical Practice Management. 18(6): 314-318, 2003.
• Sotile, W. M. and Sotile, M. O. “Conflict Management: Part 1. How to Shape Positive Relationships in Medical Practices and Hospitals.” The Physician Executive. 25(4):57-61, 1999.
• Sotile, W. M. “Easing HIV Provider Burnout: An In Vivo Approach.” Focus: A Guide to AIDS Research and Counseling. 18(4):1-5, March 2003.
• Sotile, W. and Sotile, M. “Medical Couples: The Most Stressed (and Surprised) Segment of Married People.” Iowa Medicine: Journal of the Iowa Medical Society. 91(2):16-9, 2001.
• Sotile, W. M. and Sotile, M. O. “Conflict Management: Part 2. How to Shape Positive Relationships in Medical Practices and Hospitals.” The Physician Executive. 25(5):51-55, 1999.
• Sotile, W. M. and Sotile, M. O. “The Key to Excellence: Successful Executives Keep the Flame Alive at Work and Home.” Journal of Cardiovascular Management. 10(1): 10-15, 1999.
• Sotile, W. M. and Miller, H. “Helping Older Patients to Cope With Cardiac and Pulmonary Disease.” Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation. 18:124-128, 1998.
• Sotile, W. M. and Sotile, M. O. “Effective Emotional Management: Keys to the Balancing Act Facing Contemporary Administrators.” The Journal of Cardiovascular Management. 7(2):18-23, 1996.
• Sotile, W. M. and Sotile, M. O. “Effective Emotional Management: Keys to the Balancing Act Facing Contemporary Administrators.” The Journal of Oncology Management. 5(2):19-23, 1996.
• Sotile, W. M. and Sotile, M. O. “The Angry Physician: The Temper-Tantruming Physician.” Physician Executive. 22(8): 30-34, 1996.
• Sotile, W. M. and Sotile, M. O. “The Angry Physician: II. Managing Yourself While Managing Others.” Physician Executive. 22(9): 39-42, 1996.
• Sotile, W. M. and Sotile, M. O. “Effective Emotional Management: Keys to the Balancing Act Facing Contemporary Administrators.” Journal of Cardiovascular Management. 7(2):18-23, 1996.
• Sotile, W. M. and Sotile, M. O. “Today’s Medical Marriage: Part 1.” The Journal of the American Medical Association. 277(15): 1180c, 1997.
• Sotile, W. M. and Sotile, M. O. “Today’s Medical Marriage: Part 1.” The Journal of the American Medical Association. 277(16): 1322, 1997.

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